Unpromised Freedom
by rhead-a-holyc
Summary: When you're trapped as a slave in your home, all you can do is plan to get it back. And make your captor as miserable as possible. slight Tempest AU.


Tom glared at the older man as he approached, fingers itching for his wand despite not having it for more years than he could bother to remember. That didn't mean that Tom had forgotten the magic that flowed within his veins. His mother may not have been particularly powerful, especially after trapping that spirit in the trees, but Tom had far more magic than she had. Only now, he was only able to use magic when the old man couldn't possibly know he was looking, or Dumbledore would try and take that away too.

It wasn't too long afterwards when _that_ man arrived, taking control of the island as if it were his own, as if no one else lived on the island. Oh, how he _hated_ that man! Him and his blasted sister! They had been banished from their own homes, wherever they may have been, only to kill his mother and make Tom, the person who should have ruled over the island next, a _slave_! Their slave! It was infuriating

That blasted spirit was another one of their slaves, not that the spirit noticed with all the havoc he was allowed to cause. Harry loved havoc, Tom knew that, and that was the reason Tom's mother had locked him away – for causing too much of it. That damned _Dumbledore_ had let him free, wanting to wait for the opportunity to get whoever had banished him to become guilty. Tom was sure Harry didn't even know that he was being taken advantage of, and would only be released when Dumbledore was satisfied with the outcome of whatever he was planning.

If it were up to Tom, he would have just killed the lot and taken his place back. As it were, Tom couldn't do that here. Not without his wand, especially since Dumbledore always had his own wand at all times, possibly Tom's too but there was no way to tell with the robes the other man always wore. The girl, Ariana, didn't have one, but she had a pair of lungs on her and killing her would probably only get him killed before he even got anywhere near Dumbledore.

Harry took great amusement in his imprisonment. Harry often whooped around Tom as he carried the wood around the beach for Dumbledore. Even when Harry wasn't anywhere near him, Tom could still hear his teasing replaying in his mind. It was like that annoying voice at the back of your head that never went away, which accurately described everything about Harry anyway.

Besides, Harry wouldn't do anything to stop him if killing Dumbledore meant that he would be free again. That was what Harry wanted, Tom knew that better than anything. It had been Tom that had listened to his wails and cries for years, after all, sometimes going to visit the trapped spirit when his mother had been busy. No one liked being trapped, a spirit especially. Tom knew how he hated being trapped by his situation, and he couldn't even fly like Harry could nor was he immobile and trapped in a tree as Harry had been!

"What do you want?"

"Now, now, my boy. Is that how you would treat someone who saved you?" Dumbledore's voice held a note that sounded condescending, which only made Tom's anger grow. Tom really couldn't understand how Harry was happy doing this man's bidding. It peeved Tom off beyond measure. They hadn't saved him – Tom had never needed saving, after all – all they had done was imprison him in his own home.

Tom continued to glare, picking at the stones at his feet, considering whether or not it would be worth it to throw one at the man's head. It would be much more amusing if the man's sister were there. His sister, Ariana, tended to be far more emotional than the man, prone to bouts of extreme happiness and depression within seconds. Ariana also overreacted to his words and actions, which often got him in trouble with Dumbledore – not that he was ever out of the man's suspicions.

There were a number of things he would have liked to say, none of them pleasant. Tom would have liked to vent his anger of Dumbledore to his face like he had to several of the trees and rocks he passed daily. None of it would help though, none of it would do anything to change his situation, so Tom said nothing.

Dumbledore smiled at Tom's silence, eyes turning to the distant horizon. "You would have been freed if you'd changed your ways, but your actions against Ariana only two days ago means you haven't changed despite your silence."

Tom huffed, knowing where this conversation was going already. Tom hadn't done anything more than frighten Ariana, who had been shocked by his sudden appearance in front of her. He hadn't done more than take a step forward before she was running in the opposite direction at a speed he rarely saw from her. That was Tom's only source of amusement nowadays, and he simply couldn't help himself anymore. Dumbledore wouldn't have released him even if Tom stopped scaring Ariana, so Tom didn't see any point in stopping. Of course, Dumbledore didn't know that.

Dumbledore's eyes hardened for a moment, "I want you to stay away from Ariana. She has a kind heart, nothing like yours. Merlin knows what horrors you and your mother practiced daily before I saved you. You should be grateful, instead of behaving as you are."

Tom scowled at being scolded like a naughty child, as his mother had sometimes done, and opened his mouth to retort but the older man hadn't waited for his response, expecting everyone to listen to him , already picking his way up the rocky bank.

At that moment, Tom made a promise to himself. He would find a way to rid the island of Dumbledore, no matter the cost, and make the rest of Dumbledore's life as miserable as he possibly could.

And he was sure Harry would be happy to help wreak the havoc that Tom's plan looked like it would involve.

 **Written for Quidditch League: Wigtown Wanderers Captain: The Tempest**


End file.
